Benjamin Kligler, MD, MPH, is a family medicine doctor at The Center for Health and Healing and uses the integrative medicine method of treating patients. In this article, Dr. Kligler explains the differences between the integrative medicine way of treating patients and the conventional medicine way of treating patients.

Q: What is different about integrative medicine when compared with conventional medicine?

A: When conventional medicine treats a patient, they tend to focus on what's wrong with the patient, what disease they might have and what treatments can be used against that disease. Integrative medicine treats a patient by focusing on the strengths that person has and their ability to heal from a condition they already have like diabetes or heart disease or prevent a health problem from happening.

Integrative medicine treats diseases as well, but in a different way. For example, while I may prescribe medicine to help a patient manage their diabetes, I also focus on working with that patient on what are they eating and what's going on in their mind, body and spirit that is pushing them to eat in a certain way. This is different from many conventional doctors who might simply tell a patient what they should or shouldn't eat.

Q: Can any health professional provide integrative medicine, is there special training?

A: There are certification programs and the like where people can learn about integrative medicine, but the truth is that integrative medicine is more about an attitude and a way of thinking than a particular skill. I believe that every physician can provide integrative medicine. Some doctors may know more or less than others.

The role of a physician who practices integrative medicine is to advise their patient in finding good information and thinking about the strengths the patient has to be healthy. For example, some physicians are really knowledgeable about acupuncture or herbs and know when to suggest those treatments to a patient. However, there are physicians that know nothing about those treatments, but are committed to talking with their patient about them. I believe in both situations, the doctors are using integrative medicine.

Read more from Dr. Kligler by clicking the links below:

• Integrative medicine
• Help your doctor understand CAM
• Information that should be shared with your doctor and CAM provider
• Dr. Kligler's path to integrative medicine

To listen to our interview with Dr. Ben Kligler, click here for our podcast page.

Harlem Word is a series of interviews with Harlem health experts, written by HHPC and reviewed by our Health Advisory Board.